Card adapter including metallic cover member connected to ground

ABSTRACT

According to the present invention, there is provided a card adapter which is capable of preventing contact failure between a cover member and a ground terminal caused by the floating of the cover member when a card is inserted into a card inserting portion. A contacting surface  40  facing a back-end surface  1   b  of the card inserting portion  1   a  is provided on the ground terminal  12 . A ground contacting portion  41  comprising a contacting portion  41   a  brought into contact with the contacting surface  40 , a plate spring portion  41   b  extending in a widthwise direction of the card inserting portion  1   a  and bent in a lengthwise direction of the card inserting portion  1   a , and a cantilever supporting portion  41   c  for supporting the plate spring portion  41   b  in a cantilever manner is formed in a bent portion 4 a  provided in a front-end portion of the cover member  4 . In addition, in a lengthwise direction of the card inserting portion  1   a , the contacting portion  41   a  of the ground contacting portion  41  is pressed against the contacting surface  40  of the ground terminal  12  to be brought into contact with each other through the elastic force of the plate spring portion  41   b.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a card adapter, connected to a ground,having a metallic cover member that covers a card inserting portion intowhich a card is inserted.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, each of card adapters typically comprise a card insertingportion, into which a card having an external terminal group exposed ina surface thereof is inserted, an adapter terminal group that is exposedin the interior and exterior of the card inserting portion and isbrought into contact with the external terminal group of the cardinserted into the card inserting portion, and a metallic cover membercovering the card inserting portion and having a ground contactingportion which is brought into contact with a ground terminal of theadapter terminal group (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined PatentApplication Publication No. 2000-40131).

In such conventional card adapters, the cover member is arranged so asto be opposite to a bottom plate of the card inserting portion and theground contacting portion of the cover member is brought into contactwith the ground terminal in the thickness direction of the cardinserting portion, to connect the cover member to the ground.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional card adapters, because theground contacting portion of the cover member is brought into contactwith the ground terminal in the thickness direction of the cardinserting portion, when a card is inserted into the card insertingportion, the cover member often floats to cause contact failure betweenthe ground contacting portion and the ground terminal. Further, as aresult of having contact failure between the cover member and the groundterminal, the cover member cannot be connected to the ground. Thus, itis difficult to protect the card and the card adapter from staticelectricity or the like.

Accordingly, the present invention is designed to solve theabove-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present inventionto provide a card adapter which is capable of preventing contact failurebetween a cover member and a ground terminal caused by the floating ofthe cover member when a card is inserted into a card inserting portion.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present inventionprovides a card adapter which comprises a card inserting portion intowhich a card having an external terminal group exposed in a surfacethereof is inserted, an adapter terminal group that is exposed in theinterior and exterior of the card inserting portion and is brought intocontact with the external terminal group of the card inserted into thecard inserting portion, and a metallic cover member covering the cardinserting portion and having a ground contacting portion which isbrought into contact with a ground terminal of the adapter terminalgroup. In addition, the ground contacting portion is brought intocontact with the ground terminal in a lengthwise direction of the cardinserting portion.

According to the present invention having the above-mentionedconfiguration, the ground contacting portion is brought into contactwith the ground terminal in a lengthwise direction of the card insertingportion. For this reason, even when the cover member floats, the groundcontacting portion is not separated from the ground terminal. Therefore,it is possible to prevent the contact failure between the cover memberand the ground terminal caused by the floating of the cover member whenthe card is inserted into the card inserting portion.

In addition, according to the present invention, the ground terminal hasa contacting surface facing a back-end surface of the card insertingportion, and the ground contacting portion is formed in a bent portionobtained by bending a front-end portion of the cover member. The groundcontacting portion comprises a plate spring portion extending in awidthwise direction of the card inserting portion and bent in alengthwise direction of the card inserting portion and a cantileversupporting portion for supporting the plate spring portion in acantilever manner.

According to the present invention having the above-mentionedconfiguration, it is possible to press the ground contacting portionagainst the contacting surface of the ground terminal to be brought intocontact with each other through elastic force of the plate springportion. As a result, it is possible to stabilize the contact of theground contacting portion to the ground terminal. In addition, since theplate spring portion of the ground contacting portion is formed so as toextend in the widthwise direction of the card inserting portion, it ispossible to provide elasticity to the ground contacting portion withoutenlarging the size of the ground contacting portion in the thicknessdirection of the card inserting portion.

In addition, according to the present invention, the card adapterfurther comprises locking means for locking the cover member in a frameportion by sliding the cover member in a lengthwise direction of thecard inserting portion in a state where the cover member is arranged ata predetermined position of the frame portion which forms sidewalls ofthe card inserting portion.

According to the present invention having the above-mentionedconfiguration, it is possible to easily assemble the cover member by thelocking means.

In addition, according to the present invention, locating portions forlocating the cover member in a thickness direction of the card insertingportion are formed in the cover member.

According to the present invention having the above-mentionedconfiguration, the cover member can be accurately arranged at apredetermined position in a thickness direction of the card insertingportion by the locating portions. As a result, the ground contactingportion can be accurately arranged toward the ground terminal.

As described above, according to the present invention, even when thecover member floats, the ground contacting portion is not separated fromthe ground terminal. As a result, when a card is inserted into the cardinserting portion, it is possible to prevent contact failure between thecover member and the ground terminal from occurring. Therefore, it ispossible to protect the card and the card adapter from staticelectricity or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a card adapter according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a back surface view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a state where an upper case isremoved from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV—IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a case where a cover member shown in FIG.3 is viewed from a direction V;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a case where the cover member shown inFIG. 3 is viewed from a direction VI;

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a state before the cover member islocked into a frame portion where the cover member is arranged on theframe portion of a lower case; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a state where the cover member islocked into the frame portion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of a card adapter of the present invention will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a card adapter according to a first embodimentof the present invention; FIG. 2 is a back surface view of theembodiment shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a statewhere an upper case is removed from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; FIG.4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV—IV of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is aview illustrating a case where the cover member shown in FIG. 3 isviewed from a direction V; FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a case wherethe cover member shown in FIG. 3 is viewed from a direction VI; FIG. 7is a plan view illustrating a state before the cover member is lockedinto a frame portion where the cover member is arranged on the frameportion of a lower case; and FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a statewhere the cover member is locked into the frame portion.

The present embodiment relates to a card adapter 1 having an appearanceshown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The card adapter 1 comprises a lower case 2having a bottom plate 2 f and sidewalls of a card inserting portion 1 a(refer to FIGS. 4 and 6), a metallic cover member 4 attached to thelower case 2 for covering the card inserting portion 1 a from the upperside, and an upper case 3 attached to the lower case 2 with a front-endand both sides of the cover member 4 interposed between the upper case 3and the lower case 2.

An adapter terminal group 6 having a plurality of terminals 7 to 15 isexposed in the back surface of the lower case 2. The adapter terminalgroup 6 is brought into contact with a terminal group included in a cardconnector in a state where the card adapter 1 is inserted into the cardconnector (not shown). In addition, the reference numerals 5 in FIGS. 1and 2 represent a sliding member for protecting a light.

As shown in FIG. 3, the adapter terminal group 6 is inserted into awafer 16. The adapter terminal group 6 and the wafer 16 are fitted to afront portion of the lower case 2. In addition, the terminals 7 to 15 ofthe adapter terminal group 6 are exposed in the interior of the cardinserting portion 1 a (not shown).

In the card inserting portion 1 a, a card, for example, a small SD card20 is inserted. The small SD card 20 comprises an external terminalgroup 21 having a plurality of external terminals 22 to 32 exposed in asurface thereof. The external terminal group 21 and the adapter terminalgroup 6 are brought in contact with each other in a state where thesmall SD card 20 is inserted into the card inserting portion 1 a.

In addition, in the lower plate 2 f of the lower case 2, stopperportions 17, 18 and 19 are provided. The stopper portions 17, 18, and 19are brought in contact with the front-end surface of the small SD card20 in the card inserting portion 1 a, and define an insertion finishingposition where the insertion of the small SD card 20 into the cardinserting portion 1 a is finished.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, a ground contacting portion 41that is provided in the cover member 4 and is brought in contact withthe ground terminal 12, is brought in contact with the ground terminal12 that is included in the adapter terminal group 6 and is connected tothe ground in the lengthwise direction of the card inserting portion 1a.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a contacting surface 40 that protrudes fromthe lower plate 2 f of the lower case 2 upward and faces the back endsurface 1 b of the card inserting portion 1 a is formed on the groundterminal 12, and the ground contacting portion 41 formed at thefront-end portion of the cover member 4 is brought in contact with thecontacting surface 40.

As shown in FIG. 5, the ground contacting portion 41 is formed at a bentportion 4 a that is obtained by bending the front-end portion of thecover member 4 at nearly a right angle toward the lower plate 2 f of thelower case 2. In other words, by using a notch 4 b obtained by cuttingout the front-end portion of the cover member 4 in an L shape, a platespring portion 41 b extending in a widthwise direction of the cardinserting portion 1 a and bent in a lengthwise direction of the cardinserting portion 1 a, a cantilever supporting portion 41 c forsupporting the plate spring portion 41 b in a cantilever manner, and acontacting portion 41 a located at the front-end of the plate springportion 41 b and brought in contact with a contacting surface 40 of theground terminal 12 are formed.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, a pair of engaging pawls 50 isprovided on rear ends of both sides of the cover member 4, as shown inFIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 6, the engaging pawls 50 comprises locatingportions, obtained by bending side end portions of the cover member 4,for locating the rear-end portion of the cover member 4 at apredetermined position in the thickness direction of the card insertingportion 1 a, that is, leg portions 50 b, and pawl portions 50 aexpanding toward the outside of the card inserting portion 1 a at thefront ends of the leg portions 50 b.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of concave portions 2 b in whichthe pawl portions 50 a of the engaging pawls 50 is disposed is providedon the rear portions of both sides of the frame portion 2 a of the lowercase 2, respectively. As shown in FIG. 6, a pair of flange portions 2 c,protruding toward the card inserting portion 1 a side, is formed in theframe portions 2 a. Further, transverse grooves 2 d, communicating withthe concave portions 2 b, into which the pawl portions 50 a of theengaging pawls 50 are fitted, are formed under the pair of flangeportions 2 c, respectively. In addition, sizes of the concave portions 2b and sizes of the pawl portions 50 a in a lengthwise direction of thecard inserting portion 1 a are set such that they are substantiallyequal to each other.

In other words, in a state where the cover member 4 is located at apredetermined position of the frame portion 2 a forming the sidewalls ofthe card inserting portion 1 a, that is, a position at which each pawlportion 50 a is disposed in each concave portion 2 b, when the covermember 4 is slid in a lengthwise direction of the card inserting portion1 a, that is, a direction of an arrow A (see FIG. 7), each pawl portion50 a is fitted into each transverse groove 2 d. In other words, lockingmeans is constituted for locking the cover member 4 in the fame portion2 a by the pawl portions 50 a and the transverse grooves 2 d.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of engaging tongues 51 is formedin the middle of both sides of the cover member 4. The engaging tongues51 are formed by bending the side end portions of the cover member 4.The engaging tongues 51 comprise locating portions for locating thecenter portion of the cover member 4 at a predetermined position in thethickness direction of the card inserting portion 1 a, that is, legportions (not shown), and tongue portions 51 a expanding toward theoutside of the card inserting portion 1 a at the front ends of the legportions.

In addition, the tongue portions 51 a of the engaging tongues 51 areformed in the middle of both sides of the frame portion 2 a,respectively. A pair of concave portions 2 e is formed for allowing thetongue portions 51 a to be slid by a predetermined distance in alengthwise direction of the card inserting portion 1 a.

In addition, a pair of engaging tongues 52 is formed at both sides ofthe front-end portion of the cover member 4. The engaging tongues 52 areformed by bending the front-end portion of the cover member 4. Theengaging tongues 52 comprise locating portions for locating thefront-end portion of the cover member 4 at a predetermined position inthe thickness direction of the card inserting portion 1 a, that is, legportions 52 b, and tongue portions 52 a expanding toward the outside ofthe card inserting portion 1 a at the front ends of the leg portions 52b.

In addition, the tongue portions 52 a of the engaging tongues 52 arearranged at a rear-end portion of the wafer 16. A pair of concaveportions 16 a is formed for allowing the tongue portions 52 a to be slidby a predetermined distance in a lengthwise direction of the cardinserting portion 1 a at the rear-end portion of the wafer 16.

In the present embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration, whenthe cover member 4 is attached to the lower case 2, firstly, the pawlportions 50 a of the engaging pawls 50 are arranged in the concaveportions 2 b and then the tongue portions 51 a of the engaging tongues51 and the tongue portions 52 a of the engaging tongues 52 are arrangedin the concave portions 2 e and 16 a, respectively, as shown in FIG. 7.

At this time, since the sizes of the concave portions 2 b and the sizesof the pawl portions 50 a in a lengthwise direction of the cardinserting portion 1 a are substantially equal to each other, when thepawl portions 50 a are arranged in the concave portions 2 b, the tongueportions 51 and 52 are simultaneously arranged in the concave portions20 e and 16 a, respectively.

As such, when the pawl portions 50 a of the engaging pawls 50, thetongue portions 51 a of the engaging tongues 51, and the tongue portions52 a of the engaging tongues 52 are arranged respectively in the concaveportions, the rear-end portion, center portion, and front-end portion ofthe cover member 4 are located respectively at predetermined positionsin a thickness direction of the card inserting portion 1 a by legportions 50 b of the engaging pawls 50, leg portions of the engagingpawls 51, and leg portions 52 b of the engaging pawls 52.

Next, as described above, in a state where the cover member 4 isarranged in the frame portion 2 a, the cover member 4 is slid in alengthwise direction of the card inserting portion 1 a, that is, adirection of an arrow A. If so, as shown in FIG. 8, the tongue portions51 a of the engaging tongues 51 and the tongue portions 52 a of theengaging tongues 52 are slid in a direction of an arrow A in the concaveportions 2 e and 16 a of the frame portion 2 a, respectively. At thistime, specifically, the pawl portions 50 a of the engaging pawls 50 areslid under the flange portions 2 c, that is, are fitted into thetransverse grooves 2 d. As a result, the cover member 4 is locked intothe frame portion 2 a. In other words, the cover member 4 is temporarilyfixed to the lower case 2.

Next, the upper case 3 is attached to the lower case 2 from the upperside of the cover member 4 that is temporarily fixed to the lower case2, as describe above. At this time, the tongue portions 51 a of theengaging tongues 51 are sandwiched between the frame portion 2 a of thelower case 2 and the side portions of the upper case 3 in the concaveportions 2 e. The tongue portions 52 a of the engaging tongues 52 aresandwiched between the wafer 16 and the front portion of the upper case3 in the concave portions 16 a. As a result, the floating of the covermember 4 from the lower case 2 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, in the state where the cover member 4is arranged at the frame portion 2 a, the ground contacting portion 41of the cover member 4 is in the vicinity of the contacting surface 40 ofthe ground terminal 12. In addition, when the cover member 4 is slid ina direction of an arrow A, the contacting portion 41 a of the groundcontacting portion 41 is pressed against the contacting surface 40 ofthe ground terminal 12 and thus the plate spring portion 41 b is bent,as shown in FIG. 8. In other words, in the ground contacting portion 41,the contacting portion 41 a is brought into contact with the contactingsurface 40 of the ground terminal 12 through the elastic force of theplate spring portion 41 b.

According to the present embodiment, the following effects are obtained.

According to the present embodiment, the contacting portion 41 a of theground contacting portion 41 is brought into contact with the contactingsurface 40 of the ground terminal 12 in the lengthwise direction of thecard inserting portion 1 a. For this reason, even when the cover member4 floats, the ground contacting portion 41 is not be separated from theground terminal 12. As a result, when a card is inserted into the cardinserting portion 1 a, it is possible to prevent the contact failurebetween the cover member 4 and the ground terminal 12 from occurring.Consequently, the card and the card adapter can be protected from staticelectricity or the like.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the groundcontacting portion 41 comprises a plate spring portion 41 b that is bentin the lengthwise direction of the card inserting portion 1 a and issupported by the cantilever supporting portion in a cantilever manner,it is possible to press the contacting portion 41 a against thecontacting surface 40 of the ground terminal 12 to be brought intocontact with each other through elastic force of the plate springportion 41 b. As a result, it is possible to stabilize the contact ofthe ground contacting portion 41 to the ground terminal 12.Consequently, the card and the card adapter can be protected from staticelectricity or the like.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the plate springportion 41 b of the ground contacting portion 41 is formed so as toextend in the widthwise direction of the card inserting portion 1 a. Asa result, it is possible to provide elasticity to the ground contactingportion 12 without enlarging the ground contacting portion 12 in thethickness direction of the card inserting portion 1 a. Therefore, thecard adapter 1 need not be increased in size.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, by having the lockingmeans, that is, the pawl portions 50 a of the engaging pawls 50 and thetransverse grooves 2 d of the frame portion 2 a, when the cover member 4is slid in a direction in which the cover member 4 is inserted, thecover member 4 is locked into the frame portion 2 a. As a result, thecover member 4 can be temporarily fixed to the lower case 2 more easily.Therefore, it is possible to easily assemble the cover member 4.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, by having the locatingportions, that is, the leg portions 50 b of the engaging pawls 50, theleg portions of the engaging tongues 51, and the leg portions 52 b ofthe engaging tongues 52, the cover member 4 can be accurately arrangedat a predetermined position in the thickness direction of the cardinserting portion 1 a. As a result, the contacting portion 41 a of theground contacting portion 41 can be accurately arranged on thecontacting surface 40 of the ground terminal 12. Therefore, it ispossible to stabilize the contact of the ground contacting portion 41 tothe ground terminal 12 and to consequently protect the card and the cardadapter from static electricity or the like.

1. A card adapter, comprising: a card inserting portion into which acard having an external terminal group exposed in a surface thereof isinserted; an adapter terminal group that is exposed in the interior andexterior of the card inserting portion and is brought into contact withthe external terminal group of the card inserted into the card insertingportion; and a metallic cover member covering the card inserting portionand having a ground contacting portion which is brought into contactwith a ground terminal of the adapter terminal group, wherein the groundterminal has a contacting surface facing a back-end surface of the cardinserting portion, wherein the ground contacting portion is formed in abent portion obtained by bending a front-end portion of the covermember, wherein the ground contacting portion comprises a plate springportion extending in a widthwise direction of the card inserting portionand bent in a lengthwise direction of the card inserting portion and acantilever supporting portion for supporting the plate spring portion ina cantilever manner, and wherein the ground contacting portion isbrought into contact with the ground terminal in a lengthwise directionof the card inserting portion.
 2. The card adapter according to claim 1,wherein locating portions for locating the cover member in a thicknessdirection of the card inserting portion are formed in the cover member.3. The card adapter according to claim 2, wherein the locating portionsare a plurality of leg portions provided in the cover member.
 4. Thecard adapter according to claim 1, further comprising: locking means,wherein the locking means locks the cover member in a frame portion bysliding the cover member in a lengthwise direction of the card insertingportion in a state where the cover member is arranged at a predeterminedposition of the frame portion which forms sidewalls of the cardinserting portion.
 5. The card adapter according to claim 4, wherein thelocking means comprises transverse grooves communicating with a pair ofconcave portions provided in a lower case and pawl portions of a pair ofengaging pawls of the cover member.
 6. The card adapter according toclaim 4, wherein the locking means comprises transverse groovescommunicating with a pair of concave portions provided in a lower caseand pawl portions of a pair of engaging pawls of the cover member. 7.The card adapter according to claim 4, wherein locating portions forlocating the cover member in a thickness direction of the card insertingportion are formed in the cover member.
 8. The card adapter according toclaim 7, wherein the locating portions are a plurality of leg portionsprovided in the cover member.